Process, block for sucker or a machine for grinding or machining the edge of eyeglass lenses and a process for grinding eyeglass lenses

Abstract

A process, a block or sucker, and an apparatus for machining the edge and optionally the optical surfaces of eyeglass lenses. The block or sucker is of circular shape and has a diameter which, at least in some areas, extends beyond the dimensions of the finished outline of the eyeglass lens. The block or sucker is attached to one major surface of the eyeglass lens blank during the machining operation. The block or sucker is inserted in a holder of a device for machining the edge of the eyeglass lens blank. The edge of the eyeglass lens is machined in accordance with the prescribed outline. The block or sucker may be machined at least in certain areas down to the outline of the eyeglass lens itself, whereafter the block of sucker is detached from the completely machined eyeglass lens and disposed of. Prior to edging the eyeglass blank, the optical surface may also be machined using the same block or sucker. The machining of the optical surface and the edge of the eyeglass lens can be performed in separate machines for machining the optical surfaces and for machining the edge of the eyeglass lenses without having to detach the block or sucker from the eyeglass lens blank, however, it is preferable to perform machining in a combined machine in which the optical surfaces and the edge of eyeglass lenses are machined. A CNC control unit is preferably used for electronically controlling the various operations of the apparatus.

What I claim is: 
     
       1. A process for edging an eyeglass lens blank to make it correspond to a non-circular contour of a lens receiving opening of a preselected eyeglass frame including the following steps: a) attaching a major surface of an eyeglass blank on a block or sucker, the diameter of said block or sucker being transversely overall dimensioned so as to have the same or a smaller transverse dimension than the diameter of the eyeglass lens blank outline but also exceeding at least partially the contour of the lens receiving opening of the preselected eyeglass frame in certain regions of said block or sucker;   b) inserting said block or sucker into a holder of a device for machining the optical surface of the eyeglass lens blank;   c) machining the optical surface of said lens blank to a semi-finished eyeglass lens;   d) edging the semi-finished eyeglass lens in said device for machining the optical surface of the eyeglass lens blank or in a separate second device for edging only the edge of the semi-finished eyeglass lens blank in accordance with a preselected peripheral outline corresponding to said non-circular lens receiving opening of said eyeglass frame, while simultaneously also edging in said same step at least a portion of said block or sucker in said device or second device, thereby producing a finished lens;   e) machining of a bevel or groove on said eyeglass lens edge under positive control and with reference to said optical surface and/or said preselected eyeglass frame opening, and   f) detaching said block or sucker from the finished eyeglass lens and disposing of said block or sucker.   
     
     
       2. A process for edging an eyeglass lens blank to make it correspond to a non-circular contour of a lens receiving opening of a preselected eyeglass frame including the following steps: a) attaching to a major surface of an eyeglass lens blank a block or sucker, said block or sucker being transversely overall dimensioned so as to have the same or a smaller transverse dimension than the diameter of the eyeglass lens blank outline but exceeding at least partially the contour of the lens receiving opening of the preselected eyeglass frame;   b) inserting the block or sucker into a holder of a device for machining the edge of the eyeglass lens blank;   c) machining the edge of the eyeglass lens in accordance with a preselected peripheral outline corresponding to said non-circular lens receiving opening of said eyeglass frame while simultaneously also machining at least a portion of said block or sucker;   d) machining of a bevel or groove on said eyeglass lens edge under positive control and with reference to said optical surface and/or said preselected eyeglass frame opening, and   e) detaching said block or sucker from the finished eyeglass lens and disposing of said block or sucker.